Issue addressed: Modern health promotion practice needs to respond to complex health issues that have multiple interrelated determinants. This requires an understanding of the values and principles of health promotion. Methods: A literature review was undertaken to explore the values and principles evident in current health promotion theory and practice. Results: A broad range of values and principles are espoused as being integral to modern health promotion theory and practice. Although there are some commonalities across these lists, there is no recognised, authoritative set of values and principles accepted as fundamental and applicable to modern health promotion. There is a continuum of values and principles evident in health promotion practice from those associated with holistic, ecological, salutogenic health promotion to those more in keeping with conventional health promotion. Conclusion: There is a need for a system of values and principles consistent with modern health promotion that enables practitioners to purposefully integrate these values and principles into their understanding of health, as well as their needs assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation practice. So what?: A system of values and principles would assist practitioners to respond to complex health issues that have multiple interrelated determinants.